Success with vegetables Crops in rows best option

Press, 12 September 1986, Page 15

Success with vegetables Crops in rows best option

GARDENING

by

Mike Lusty

One of the major problems in planning, planting, sowing and maintaining a vegetable garden is that of space allocation. Ideally, the aim should be to pursue a policy of continuous production so that waste is minimal and harvesting is regular, thus using available ground to its maximum. Unfortunately, this is a goal which very few of us ever achieve, but iwith a little experimentation, thought, and some fully maintained records, it should be possible to get somewhere close. Initially, it is necessary to know a number of things and then to corelate them. Obviously, kinds and varieties of vegetables which are not at all popular in the household and those which will not produce satisfactorily under the prevailing conditions should be eliminated. Space restrictions may also make it prudent to limit or cut out entirely crops which either occupy the ground for a long time, such as potatoes, or take up a lot of room for a comparatively small return, such as pumpkins. The choice of kind and variety is important because there are specific ones, among them lettuce and cabbage, which have been bred for raising in particular seasons and which do not thrive at other times. There are also slow maturing and very quick developing selections which again are suited to particular times of the year. Check on these variations before

contemplating any sowings.

Spacing and raising crops in rows is traditional and despite all advances in breeding techniques, and so on, this still appears to be the best and most logical way to set out an area of crops. It has several advantages. It enables efficient inter-row cultivation, thus maintaining weed control and soil tilth and fosters capillary rise of soil moisture. It also enables the grower to ascertain requirements more accurately, and so control more closely a set area of ground, than would be the case with irregular or patch planting and sowing. The distance between plants is variable, both in the row and between them, not only between the various kinds of vegetables, but between the varieties themselves. This is becoming more the trend as the results of varietal experiments show the benefits to the crop of spacing the planting. This is already very evident in the commercial field, particularly in some other countries. For example, cauliflowers can be grown the size of softballs eminently suitable for individuals and small families. By decreasing the spacing between plants it is possible not only to produce a smaller end product but also to increase the number of plants per row. The yield is similar and the advantages are obvious, not only for the small household but also from the point of view of reduced waste. Consideration to this aspect will enable greater advantage to be taken of available ground. However, a word of warning: not all vegetables in their currently available forms lend themselves readily to this type of culture. Many of the basic ones do, including onions, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, beetroot, lettuce and parsnips.

Intensive cultivation can induce problems. Aeration can become restricted and lead to outbreaks of disease which are likely to spread far more rapidly because of the close confinement of the crops. It becomes imperative, therefore, to watch more closely for signs of disease and to be timely with control. Similarly, pests can also become more troublesome. Any increase in plant density and continuity of planting is also likely to make much heavier demands on the nutrient

availability in the soil and this must be compensated for if a high level of cropping is to be maintained. This is applicable to a greater or lesser degree to many systems of cropping particularly to certain crops which tend to make above average demands on available nutrients. Again, do not leave remedial measures until hunger signs become blatantly obvious. More consistent and denser cropping programmes will also make increasing demands on soil moisture and again it

is necessary to maintain a satisfactory status quo. In association with moisture retentiveness goes the need to provide a good level of humus in the soil. This is provided through the addition of organic matter which also assists in maintaining soil structure and friability as well as promoting good plant root development. Allied to these factors are those of selection, planting, and or sowing of the most suitable kinds and varieties of vegetables at opportune times. Periodic soil testing is also advantageous.